Peter Pan Peanut Butter

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been buying peanut butter. Every big trip to the grocery store would always include the purchase of a jar of peanut butter. That was a staple in our house. It didn’t matter what kind I bought, just as long it was Peter Pan brand. It could be creamy, or crunchy, or low fat, or extra-smooth; it would always disappear only to be replaced at a later time. I rarely ate the stuff myself.

Before our move to France, I learned that peanut butter was something that we were going to have to learn to live without. As I packed my carry-on for the final trip abroad, I threw in a few jars of Peter Pan peanut butter.

One day last summer when Jeffrey was here and attending French classes, he came home one day and said that he was required to bring some American food to his class to share with the others. So… naturallment… I thought of peanut butter sandwiches. I really don’t remember if I made peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches or simply peanut-butter sandwiches, but I do remember that I used the crunchy stuff..

Soon after the assignment I learned that Paul only eats CRUNCHY peanut butter! Mea culpa, mea culpa! I had committed a mortal sin. Needless to say, the smooth and the low-fat has been sitting in the cabinet ever since, untouched.

When my friend Ginny came to visit, she came bearing gifts, valuable gifts….. picante sauce and peanut butter – CRUNCHY peanut butter. My sin has been forgiven!

So it was a bit of deja-vu this week when my French teacher told our class that each of us should bring something to eat that is typical of our country. Ah Ha! I said… I will bring peanut butter and jelly sandwiches….and so it began…. hunting and gathering. I had the SMOOTH peanut butter and I just needed Pain Anglaise – “Harry’s American Bread” – it is called - and some grape jelly. Off I went with my shopping cart to the big store where shopping is so stressful….

I found the sliced bread but never could find grape jelly – confiture de raisin (I guess). I left the store… and so I will make the sandwiches using peach, pear, or whatever else we have in the fridge! I think they may not know the difference!

So…. As you are considering those Christmas gifts… you can make it easy on yourself by getting us some peanut butter. I know what you are thinking…. “Peanut butter?? I could spend less than 5 bucks and they would be happy?” Yep we would. But it would cost you a whole bunch more than 5 bucks to mail it… but….think about it, no fighting the crowds at the mall....no worry about the right size...

Merry Christmas!